MLB Player News

Haase isn't starting Saturday against Minnesota.

Haase is out of the lineup for a second consecutive game after he went 0-for-3 with a run and two walks during the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Athletics. Tucker Barnhart will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Jansen isn't starting Saturday's game against the Red Sox.

Jansen had a monster performance during Friday's 28-5 win over the Red Sox, going 3-for-6 with two home runs, six RBI, four runs and a walk. However, he'll get a breather a day later since Alejandro Kirk is starting behind the plate while Cavan Biggio enters the lineup at first base.

Plawecki went 3-for-4 with a run scored Friday in the Red Sox's 28-5 loss to the Blue Jays.

The Red Sox deployed top backstop Christian Vazquez at first base in their first game out of the All-Star break, allowing Plawecki to pick up a turn behind the plate. While Plawecki was effective during his four plate appearances on the night, he's likely in need of a breather catching all 228 of the Boston pitching staff's throws on a night Toronto sent 63 batters to the plate. Expect Vazquez to check back in behind the dish Saturday.

Grandal went 0-for-4 with an RBI on Friday against the Guardians.

Grandal missed just over five weeks due to a back injury but made his return Friday, starting behind the plate while hitting fifth. He managed to tally his 16th RBI of the season on a groundout in the third inning. Grandal is hitting a disappointing .181/.288/.232 across 205 plate appearances on the season.

Mejia went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in a 7-3 win over the Royals on Friday.

Mejia had a productive night at the plate, helping lift his team over the Royals with an RBI single during a four-run fourth. He later cashed in Taylor Walls for an insurance run with a double in the eighth. The 26-year-old catcher has seen increased competition for playing time since Christian Bethancourt was traded to the Rays, so it will be important for him to continue producing at the dish. Mejia is slashing an excellent .324/.342/.649 in July.

Maldonado went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-2 win over the Mariners.

Maldonado's fifth-inning solo shot stood as the game-winning hit. The catcher has tapped into his power in July, hitting five of his 10 homers this season in his last 16 games. For the season, he has a .166/..235/.341 slash line with 27 RBI, 25 runs scored and eight doubles through 70 contests. This is the fourth year in Maldonado's career he's reached double digits in homers.

Vazquez went 3-for-4 with two solo homers in Friday's 28-5 loss to Toronto.

The Red Sox were manhandled Friday but it didn't stop Vazquez from producing one of his best performances of the year. He took Kevin Gausman deep with a solo shot in the fourth inning and then hit another solo home run against Jeremy Beasley in the sixth. It was Vazquez's first multi-homer game of the year and he's up to eight long balls on the campaign. He's slashing .281/.324/.442 with 26 extra-base hits and 38 RBI through 75 games.

Jansen went 3-for-6 with two home runs, six RBI, four runs scored and a walk in Friday's 28-5 win over Boston.

Jansen knocked a three-run homer off of Austin Davis in the fourth inning before launching a two-run shot against Darwinzon Hernandez in the sixth. He's up to nine home runs on the year after going deep for the first time since June 1. He's now 6-for-17 (.353) with five runs scored in five games since returning from the injured list. Jansen improved his season slash line to .260/.329/.644 with 10 extra-base hits and 19 RBI through 82 plate appearances.

Wong was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Friday.

With Kevin Plawecki back from the COVID-19 injured list, Boston no longer needed Wong as insurance behind the plate. He has accrued only nine plate appearances in Boston this season, collecting two hits. Yolmer Sanchez was recalled to take Wong's spot on the roster.

Hedges isn't starting Friday against the White Sox, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Hedges is getting an extra day off after the All-Star break having gone 5-for-13 with a run, an RBI and a strikeout over the last five games. Luke Maile is starting behind the dish and batting eighth.